Its very interesting to read these comments from academics. Given the criteria you operate under, I can understand why incredibly smart people can feel so much self-doubt.

Whereas in the regular business world, you find out REALLY quickly if you're an idiot or not. Especially if you interact directly with the marketplace, without layers of management to cover for your mistakes or to steal your glory.

Either the market likes your product or service or it doesnt. That's pretty much it.

If it seems to like you on a regular basis--everyone screws up sometime-- you and others will declare yourself smart. No matter what your GPA was in college.

What I find fascinating, as an American, is how dismissive the British are towards the police. Granted a lot of that must be exaggerated for television, but can Brits really talk to cops like that without penalty? Lucky them.

@Heat Signature
I SO know what you mean. Maybe its because I live in temperate Los Angeles, where I'm rarely physically uncomfortable. So when I am, it stays in my memory bank.

I had the glorious opportunity to stay at the London Ritz (rich boyfriend) a few years ago, and sadly, even surrounded by all that luxury, my strongest memories are of how jet lagged/hungover/cold I was. PATHETIC

@Rubyinthedust Yeah, to be fair, you need to know WHY she had those views.

The Soviet totalitarian system that she escaped was originally meant to elevate the oppressed but ended up an Orwellian nightmare. So, as far as she was concerned, ANY virtue that could be used in the service of totalitarianism needed to go.

As one of the few she-libertarians in captivity, it's my duty to stick up--a little--for Ms Rand.

There are probably 5 people on earth who agree with everything she says and the rest of us just focus on the good stuff (she was fiercely pro choice, anti-totalitarian and made a brilliant case for individual freedom) while looking aghast at her contempt for religion and the non-achievers of the world.

I doubt Ms Rand would want to hang out with me--I'm very lazy-- but sometimes I like to hang out with her and Dagny Taggart, especially when I need a kick in the butt. Her rants can be very energizing.